Jenny - I agree with Bijoux, "Cabaret" would be a great choice.
While I think Jenny does well with anything, I've found I enjoy
her the most to upbeat, jazzy numbers (such as "Chicago").

Sasha - I'd love to see her revamp "Romeo and Juliet" and use it
as a SP or LP in the big events. The music is perfect for her and
she relates so well to it. She skated this number at the Nationals
exhibitions with so much passion and intensity, and these are
two qualities that I find are somewhat missing from her
competitive performances. Maybe using this powerful music
(which she is already comfortable with) would help to open her
up a bit.

Michelle - I honestly don't care. She has made me love music I
would normally hate. If she retains the emotional intensity she's
showcased for the last 2 seasons, I'll be thrilled. But...in my
dream world I've always wanted to see her skate a competitive
number to themes from "The Mission". It is such moving, lyrical
music and would be perfect for her. But, I doubt she'd ever use
it. Karen skated to "The Mission" at the 1996 Nationals I believe.

I think Sasha is getting pigeon-holed into classical programs. She's got the extension and line for this type of program, but I'd like to see some of her natural fire come out in her skating. Maybe something a little bluesy.

I think Jenny needs to stay with the light, upbeat program.

I'd love to see how Michelle skates to the Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot except for the fact that it's overused. So instead, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto #2 - a dynamic piece of music that MK could really sink her skates into.

Brahms' Intermezzo in A Major Op 118 #2, played by Robert Silverman for Kwan. (Glen Gould's interpretation would be a distant second.) It would have to be cut down from it's 6:18, but there are repeats and a section that could be dropped without losing musical continuity. The first two sections of the piece, with the closing repeat of the first section would work.

Glazunov's music for Raymonda's variation that opens with solo piano, and ends with piano and orchestra for Cohen. Worlds '05 are being held in Moscow, after all.

Juan Garcia Esquivel's "Mini Skirt,: arrangement by Golijov, performed by the Kronos Quartet, with the "wows" and the couple of spoken lines at the very end spliced out. If this is too flippant for competition, then it would a great exhibition.

For LP's,

Joshua Bell's recording of a transcription for piano and orchestra of Chopin's Nocturne in C Sharp Minor would be a classic Nikodinov or a beautiful Arakawa piece, but since the question wasn't about them, it would be a bit of a change of (literally) pace for Cohen, even if the music is classical.

I would like to see Kwan bring back "The Miraculous Mandarin" for her LP.

I don't have any ideas for Kirk.

[Edited to add exhibition programs]

For Kwan, Aaron Copland's "Long Time Ago," sung by Susan Chilcott and Charles Ives' "Memories B," sung by Jan deGaetani. Both singers died way too young.

The Blues

There are many great skaters who could pull this off, someone suggested Michelle needed to try a new style. I did not hear much about her exhibition program from Nationals. She skated to "Fallen" by Alicia Keys. I thought it was lacking. I don't feel she has the versatility that you find with others such as Kirk or Nicole Bobek who skated to that peice very musically and captured the feeling very well.

I'd like to see what Kirk could do with the peice. Of the eligibles, I see only Corwin trying a peice like this. I think Sasha could do justice to that amazing song, but she'd never choose it. Not since her Hernando's hideaway have we seen anything fun. I think she should drop Romeo and Juliet for her exhibition peice, and do Salsa, blues or rock and roll.

Why is Sasha who can do so many moves staying to one type of program? Does anyone think Wagner will get her to try another genre of music besides classical?

Which parts? I listened to the piece several times the other night, and I couldn't figure out how to make it into a program, long or short. The second movement adagio is sublime, but I didn't see enough rhythm changes, in it and I'm not sure whether the last movement would drive the people in their seats crazy.

Interesting about Jenny's versatility and Michelle's lack. I'd say the opposite. I thought Michelle did an AMAZING job with fallen. I'd seen it once before and wasn't impressed. But, at Nats, I thought it was wonderful. To me it showed incredible maturity, feeling for the music, wonderful choreography, and, as I believe that Rgirl put it, that va-va-va-voom factor. None of the little girls skating today could have come close on the whole presentation, IMO.

My feeling about Jenny is that one of the reasons for her breakthrough is that she's found a style of skating that's comfortable for her - light, airy, and fun. When thinking of music for her to skate to, I couldn't see her skating to anything different. I love Jenny, but I don't see her as particularly versatile.

Don't know what Sasha and Robin will come up with. Didn't Sarah almost always skate to classical music? I'd really love to see Sasha try something a bit different.

I have to agree with Tharrtell about Michelle's interpretation of Alicia Keyes. BTW, it's "Fallin'," as in

I keep on fallin'
In and out of love
With you
Sometimes I love ya
Sometimes u make me blue
Sometimes I feel good
At times I feel used
Lovin you darlin'
Makes me so confused

I keep on
Fallin'
In and out of love with you
I never loved someone
The way that I love you

Verse 2
Oh, oh , I never felt this way
How do you give me so much pleasure
And cause me so much pain
Just when I think
I've taken more than would a fool
I start fallin' back in love with you

I keep on fallin', etc.

I thought she nailed it. Steamier even than the "menacing sensuality" of The Feeling Begins, but softened with a with an innocent vulnerabilty -- what can I say? I liked it. I thought her performance at Nationals showed a greater depth of artistic maturity than the version that she did on tour with COI last season. Although that was cute, too.

I agree, Mathman. I thought Michelle did a great job with Fallin'. That was the first time I had ever seen it. I see her as being very musical.

I have no suggestions for Michelle for programs, but would like to see her pick a piece that suggests a character, and have her interpret the music, not just skate to it.

I am glad Sasha is getting a new exhibition. Very tired of R&J. I think she needs to do something completely different program-wise next year because I have already read "same old, same old" comments about her. She is at the point now where she should show some versatitily.

Jenny has two light hearted programs this year, so she needs more classical programs next year.

I would love to see either Michelle or Sasha skate to something by Debussy...........love his music....

As for skating to a character from a piece of music as opposed to skating "to" the music, it is hard to stay in character, especially when you have jumps to set up for. I remember Irina, really getting into Tosca, selling the program, and gliding into a lutz jump, a very long glide........for me, it detracted from the overall feel. I think, my opinion of course, it is more "eye" appealing to skate to or with the music, to interpret a piece, rather than being a character in a play............42

Originally posted by hockeyfan228 Which parts? The second movement adagio is sublime, but I didn't see enough rhythm changes, in it and I'm not sure whether the last movement would drive the people in their seats crazy.

I think there is enough music in the first and third movements for a long program. There is a nice balance of flow and contrast in the first movement. The long melodic lines with a dotted march like rhythm in the background. At minute 5.5 is the perfect place for a Michelle spiral. I am not worry about whether people would be driven off their seats crazy. I want Michelle to skate something nice worthy of a master piece for my video tapes. I lump programs into 3 general categories, the winning programs, the masterpieces and a combination of both. Tara's rainbow program is a winning program, even though I adore her, I don't think it is a masterpiece. Ruh's Gliere harp concerto program, IMO is a master piece, not a winning program, but it touches my heart. Lulu Rach #2 is a combo of both. Lyra Angelica does not have a lot of variation of tempo or rhythm either

Of course MK is actively competing, so I guess for winning programs I love to see her skate to Vaughn Williams Job There is enough drama to drive people off their seats. I will choose scene VI, Dance of Job's comforters/ Job's vision, and the epilogue.

Quoting the liner notes:

The endurance of faith over affliction, "this drama of heaven and hell" (Richard Capell), Job divides into nine heavily-mimed scenes, scored for forces including saxophone, organ and a large percussion battery.

Scene VI Dance of Job's Comforters. Job's Curse. A Vision of Satan -Andante doloroso?poco pimosso ancora pimosso "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth". Satan introduces in turn Job's three Comforters (three wily hypocrites [Blake's supposition]). Their dance is at first one of pretended sympathy, but develops into anger and reproach. Job stands and curses God. "Let the day perish wherein I was born". Heaven gradually becomes visible, showing mysterious veiled, sinister figures moving in a sort of parody of the Sons of God in Scene I. Heaven is now lit up. The figures throw off their veils and display themselves as Satan enthroned, surrounded by the hosts of Hell. Satan stands. Job and his friends cower in terror. The vision gradually disappears. (In Keynes's scenario, Scenes V and VI were originally linked as one.)

Scene VII Elihu's Dance of Youth and Beauty. Pavane of the Sons of the Morning Andante tranquillo (

Scene IX Epilogue (Largo sostenuto). "So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning". Job, an old and humbled man, sits with his wife. His friends come up one by one and give him presents. Job stands and gazes on the distant cornfields. Job's three daughters enter and sit at his feet. He stands and blesses them.

Another winning program possibility for Michelle's long program is Barber's Medea's meditation and Vengeance, or the Medea's suite.